August 19th - Hang onto relationships loosely

The story...

It's best to hold a tennis racket and handlebars loosely - gripping too tightly may over corrects and take us where we don't wanna go quickly.  My first rides on my KLR in deep sand were out of control and scary.  What I learned about riding motorcycles in deep sand seems to apply to life too.

• Don't sit down - stay balanced on your feet
• Relax your mind and your body will follow - fight the urge to grip too hard
• Do your steering through your feet weighting the pegs
• Maintain momentum - consistent throttle control
• When done right, it's like a dance - joyful

Looking back twenty years, most of the people, places and things have changed.  They'd have changed no matter how hard I tried to keep them the way I thought best.  If I wouldn't have been open to new people, places, things, and ideas - Id have missed out on much of the joy of life.

I'm learning to hold onto relationships less tightly - they change and are best when freely offered and accepted.  Sometimes, what I thought I wanted was not what they could actually give or accept. "Stay balanced and let them be."  They may choose to dance a similar dance as you; but, not with you - that's okay.  It seems better, and more respectful, to let them live their own life - the freedom to enjoy the few close dance partners that we each may have.

The only church in town will be a good place to develop life-giving relationships.  Hopefully, the relationships will be characterized as freely offered, graceful, forgiving, and changing too.  Your relationship with God, through faith in Christ, is obviously the most important.  He's the foundation for the best relationships - those dances that're part of a joyful life lived out in ever-changing circumstances.

Just for today...

"Imagine bad; Anxious worry - Obsessive thoughts; In a hurry."
"Quiet soul; Can it be? - Faith in God; He's the key."   Am I a Poet?

August 18th - Keeping busy or living peacefully?

The story...

My significant other went away for eight days.  Why did I have this need to plan activities to keep me busy?  Did this need suggest that my life wasn't peaceful?  Was I fearful of scratching at an endless supply of itches to feel better?  Was my life structured around a pattern of habits that'd be disrupted without my girl?  Did I need a series of planned activities to validate my sense of self worth?  Do I want to be okay or merely imagine that I'm okay?

What does a good day look like for me?  It seems right to live out a better reality with a purposeful plan or pattern.  Its a little uncomfortable to actually write out.  Isn't that a blog goal?  Okay, the following is my generic plan for living out a peaceful and fruit bearing day - limited to 15:

1. Wake naturally from restful sleep
2. Do a few things that I look forward to
3. Pray, meditate and listen
4. Reflect and clarify within my blog
5. Interim fast while drinking plenty of water
6. Reach out to at least one friend
7. Exercise in nature and community
8. Be kind to those I meet - risk loving and being loved
9. Invest one hour managing my household and finances
10. Enjoy lunch
11. Do or learn something new
12. Keep opinions to myself and challenge their validity
13. Serve somehow, somewhere - engage in community
14. Seek to understand before being understood
15. Listen to God's revealed Word and fall asleep being loved

Having completed and reflected on this list, I've less of a need to fill up my days with planned activities.  I certainly would rather live in the present, be receptive to spirit/Spirit realities, trust God rather than myself, and enjoy walking within the will of God - our wills lining up.  I experienced a season closer to this ideal while suffering for 40 days in a sling following rotator-cuff surgery.

The only church in town will be a place built to facilitate a more honest life lived out in the actualities, or circumstances, of life and Sprit-to-spirit reality.   Maybe there we will feel free to pass the peace sign on to each other while listening to the Word of God. ☮

Just for today...

"Today I make a commitment to be honest with myself. By facing reality, I become someone I can depend upon."  Courage to Change (p. 232)

"It is easy, terribly easy, to shake a man's faith in himself. To take advantage of that, to break a man's spirit, is devil's work."  (G.B. Shaw: Candida)

"Each painted; Wonderfully unique - God's presence; Tad oblique."    Am I a Poet?

August 17th - Our personality, set of habits with a few go-tos?

The story...

Being a storyteller helped me garner the interest of other people.  I learned how to select the topic, grab their attention, inflect my voice, include humor, add color, keep the pace, and wow them with the finish. The habit may've started at our family dinner table - what worked there seems to have adapted and worked out into my personality.  I took my storyteller persona wherever I went.

A good story teller isn't smarter, taller or better looking.  They don't play better basketball or trumpets.  And, they're likely not natural listeners or empathizers.  Sure, there were times that I "flexed" my style and was surprised at how good it felt to be a more whole person.  Then, I'd get hurt, withdrawal, heal alone, and return to telling my stories. 

The college-bar scene seemed to be a most wonderful place for me.  Storytellers are valued and relationship development seemed easy - most people are happy to see you enter the room.  When relationships toughened, I moved on to a different group and place.  Yet, too much led to . . . and dysfunctional relationships.  Some of my friends couldn't balance learning and debauchery too - they dropped out of the race - the game.  

The textbook author advised me - he did the best he could.

In my super-senior year, when the college stuff was no longer new and full of possibilities, I listened to a football player who told me about what he heard within a group called: Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  I was surprised by his declaration of Christian principles worked out in the reality of his life - he was surprised at the life change too.  Then Steve and Marlene invited me to attend their campus church - they were the first people that I recalled earnestly inviting me to a church.  It "felt" right - I wondered how my college experience might've been different if...

It would be easier to invite people to the only church in town - it'd be the only option.  Please, earnestly invite somebody to church already.  If invited, experience the potential good.  It's so... good to be free from the tyrannical rule of self and to be a functional member within the body of Christ.  Galatians (5:1)

Just for today...

"Many of us develop clever methods of surviving in . . . situation, such as denial or secrecy . . . What once allowed us to function in a nearly impossible situation is now an obstacle for further growth . . . Sometimes we must accept ourselves, defects and all, before those defects are removed."  Courage to Change (p. 230)

"Today I'll stop minding other people's business and create some business of my own to mind." Hope for Today (p. 230)

"Like 'em all; How'd it be? - Christ-body truth; Love in me."   Am I a Poet?

August 16th - Are close relationships worth it?

The story...

When was I suppose to learn about the value of, and processes for, developing relationships?  I greatly valued my family but close relationships didn't happen there - I remained guarded and protected from each of 'em.  Didn't happen within grade school were I learned we were all different.  The neighborhood friends lasted a few years; but, weren't very close.  Boy Scouts offered opportunities yet seemed to focus on activities, achievement and rewards.  They didn't happen at my local church - I assumed that the right people just weren't there.  I found closer relationships among band members and lunch-time friends; yet, they were situational and not very deep.  I didn't have the close boy-girl friendship in high school that some found.  The closer relationships that I developed during my college years were really important to me - I learned much about me and others there.  My hopes were set on that close relationship that I'd have with my future spouse - I looked forward to meeting her and growing closely together.  

I'm so thankful for my relationship with my life partner.  We've grown much over the years while working out a right relationship as seen under the truth of God's bright Word.

Deer relationships - need each other?

Might the relationships we desire, to help us live a more full and satisfying life, be found within the only church in town?  You've had relationships with many people throughout your life; yet, those within a church will likely be somewhat different. There will be opportunities for: Casual friends who reflect community diversity and principles;  Close friends who you may walk side-by-side with toward the common goal;  Or, maybe a growing and deeper relationship with a spouse.  I hope that you'd find your most satisfying and lasting relationship between you and your Creator - spirit to Spirit.

Just for today...

Were you looking for someone who meets your needs but expects little of you?  Maybe you were looking for a pet or a dog?

"Lookin fer love; Pets are only -Distractedly shallow; Feelin lonely."
"Body of Christ; Fully Him - Abounding love; Come on in."   Am I a Poet?

August 15th - Can you understand your psyche with your mind?

The story...

One night in 2023, I experienced death in a dream - I didn't remember this occurring before. The scenario, I'm riding on my cruiser motorcycle and enter into a tunnel entrance ramp onto I80.  I take a lane that ends up to be a dirt path with construction all around.  There is no way back to the lane of vehicles that are speeding along their way.  I stop due to a big ditch in front of me where other motorcycle riders are attempting to climb out to get back onto I80.  I switch lanes to the left, looking for an easier path, and notice a huge tunnel-digging machine emerging from a tunnel, under construction, behind me.  I pause and it runs over me - I feel nothing.  My mind looked for the feelings of death pains and wondered if I was dead.  It took a few seconds to remember that this was a dream and not reality. "Yes, I 'm still dreaming."  I woke up in a sort of curious state - did that vivid, participatory, dream mean something?  Do I have a latent fear that's operating behind the scene within my psyche?

Seignac, Guillaume - Cupid and Psyche

Who can understand a man's mind, soul and spirit?  God said that a man doesn't even understand his own heart.  Should I try to understand my own psyche with my own mind?  Is that even reasonable?

It's a good thing to trust God's word and bear fruit in peace.  Yes, God's Word does offer the way towards peace, in the present, within the varying circumstances of life.  Praise God for how He loves His creatures.

The only church in town will preach God's revealed Word.  The people will hear about who He is, what He plans for us His creatures, and how to live a good-to-great life within His will - our wills connected.  The creature's part is to trust His Word and His provision for those who are His, His in Christ.

Just for today...

"Fear is the energy that activates my character defects. Sometimes my shortcomings lie dormant like a bumper car ride with the electricity turned off, and I don't even notice them."  Hope for Today (p. 228)

"How important is it? . . . I find what I might have viewed as a disaster is really insignificant . . . I can take my disappointment or irritation at face value and refuse to dramatize it."  Courage to Change (p. 228)

"Many of our frustrations come from not making the most of ourselves and getting out of life what it has to give, ready and waiting for us to accept."  One Day at a Time (p. 228)

"Twas right there; Ready for pickin - Didn't believe; Felt sickin."   Am I a Poet?

August 14th - The journey - take the first step, or pedal, together.

The story...

My best friend and I rode our bicycles, round trip, between Muskegon, MI and just past Mears, MI, in 2023 - 71 miles.  She was training for a bike tour across Iowa and I'd ridden about 40 miles YTD.  If you want to experience a break from your routine, beauty, wonder, new feelings, a strong sense of accomplishment, and inevitable aching, then why not oil up your bike and get started?  Plan for it, do it, and enjoy it with others who are "like minded."

1. Miles 1 thru 10:  Wow, how fast I can go - yes I'll commit to the full ride.
2. Miles 11 thru 20: We can stop there on the way home - that's something to look forward to.
3. Miles 21 thru 30: I am so thankful for today - it's perfect.
4. Miles 31 thru 40: I wasn't prepared - I'm beginning to suffer more than she is - a head wind.
5. Miles 41 thru 50:  I need to stop but keep going - the dairy creamery was soo... good.
6. Miles 51 thru 60:  My head's down, trying to be efficient - average speed drops - suffering.
7. Miles 61 thru 70: I'm almost home - now I have hope that I'll make it.
8. Last mile:  So thankful and happy - maybe a touch of joy?

It felt so good to complete the trip.  The finish point was close to a favorite pizza place - Bernie O's. Sharing a large "Twist" pizza together was great. My Apple watch congratulated me with all kinds of awards for completing the 5.5 hour trek.  I was dehydrated and it took hours to begin to feel normal again.  Yet, I was better off having completed the trek with my best friend.  There were tons of reasons for joy and happiness.  What a joy it is to be alive.

The only church in town will offer opportunities for long journeys amongst friends and fellow travelers within the Body of Christ.  A place where the will of God may be worked out both together and more completely.

Just for today...

"Working in unity for a common purpose does more than strengthen both partners individually. It draws them together." One Day at a Time (p. 227)

"Sometimes I need to feel the feelings and then act anyway." Courage to Change (p. 227)

"I tell myself that just as thinking doesn't make it so, neither does feeling make it so. My life is going to work out according to God's will regardless of how I feel, so why try to manipulate situations to avoid the unavoidable - human emotions?"  Hope for Today (p. 227)

"Listen to 'em; Goin along - We're a movin; Singin the song."   Am I a Poet?

August 13th - Good-to-great life story

The story...

This is my favorite day of the year, it's the birthday of my life partner.  I find great joy in celebrating her and her life - we've both come far together.  I truly love her and am soo... thankful for our marriage relationship.  We've learned and loved much together.

The elements of a good story - Donald Miller

The only church in town well love telling and retelling the greatest story ever told.  The Son of Man and Creator who walked this earth and disclosed much of Himself to His creation.  They will celebrate His birth, death, resurrection, and provision for all who believe His Gospel truth.

Just for today...

"...examine all the things that are hurting me at the moment.  I will challenge their validity to see if there is any basis for my bitterness - or for that dread and fear. I'll probably discover, to my delight, that I have, right at this moment, more than enough reasons to be happy and contented."  One Day at a Time (p. 226)

"Have I put someone on a pedestal? Am I encouraging anyone to have an exaggerated view of me?"  Courage for Change (p. 226)

"I was still clinging to the notion that Something - in this case a sum of money - was going to allow me to manage my life in my own way and on my terms . . .  When I rely on self-will, I severely limit all of my resources.  When I turn to God, those limitations fall away."  Hope for Today (p. 226)

"You got stuff; You got power - Alone and smug; Pretentious flower."
"We need we; You resist - Dying alone; Just subsist."
"God's creature; Trusts His flow - Begins anew; Light aglow."   Am I a Poet?

August 12th - Build together

The story...

The new furniture manufacturing job required leadership, managerial, and individual-contributor skills.  The role required project management, problem solving, extra time, learning, trusting, accountability, mentoring, encouraging, and a winner's mindset.  People were both watching and relying on me - I was a necessary part of something bigger.

After I adapted into the furniture building community, I deeply appreciated being part of the goal-oriented organization.  I was most surprised at how much I enjoyed spending Saturday mornings with fellow co-workers as we bonded, rubbed shoulders, freely worked, laughed, listened, and more closely shared life together.  Sure, I was away from my home and family; yet, I was living and growing with other people as we worked towards a greater good - part of a productive community.  Those Saturday morning real-life experiences are precious to me now.

Built together

As we enter into the community of the only church in town, I hope that we'll find comfort, quiet and true rest and peace.  It'll be a place where we seek to more honestly understand others and discover how we might honestly fit in.  Being quiet while listening with our ears, hearts, and spirits too - listening for opportunities - taking first steps.  Being okay with push back from others - letting them be. Walking humbly with the Lord our God. Truly, His aims and ways are clearly better.

Just for today...

"...let me learn to accept things as they are, and stop manipulating them into changing. Let me look for a wiser approach to life from myself, not from other people."  One Day at a Time (p. 225)

"Doing myself; Safely alone - Working together; Fluid zone."   Am I a Poet?

August 11th - How are you doing inside, outside, and in actuality?

The story...

The group leader challenged the leaders and teens to evaluate how they performed the games on three different levels: inside you, outside you, and the actual game score - what a helpful tool for all of us.  

1. Were my inward thoughts positive and directed toward the game situation?
2. Did I encourage others and treat them the way that I wanted to be treated?
3. What was the actual game score?

Cornhole - fun game played shoulder-to-shoulder

The only church in town would have a pastor who'd both share God's revealed word and how they've worked it out within the reality of their own life.  That's the kind of person who people will seek out for advise and counseling.  A guy that you might honestly and fruitfully walk side by side with throughout your life journey.

The church organization would be a respite where people would be encouraged to work out their own faith in actuality - first inwardly, and secondly outwardly alongside others.  If we keep score, then it behooves us to keep score on all three levels.  Winners in the game of life are found in Christ - FREE from the tyrannical ruler of self!

Just for today...

"Suppose I feel like a prisoner, trapped in an irksome way of life, as so many of us do. What am I doing about it? My obvious impulse is to try to manipulate the things and people around me into being more acceptable to me. Do I argue, rage and weep to make my spouse behave in a way that I think will make me happier? Happiness isn't won that way."  One Day at a Time (p. 224)

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  Romans 12:21 NASB

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."  Galatians 5:1 NASB

"Me inside; Outside too - We're together; Me and you."   Am I a Poet?

August 10th - Want to dwell in the past?

The story...

An unexpected life victory occurred during my 64th year of life.  I traveled on my motorcycle to a location where my family annually vacationed together.  In the past, visits like this would trigger fond memories that I longed and even ached over.   Camping sites, trails, kids doing similar things, and the scene of  that one time long ago. Often, the longing would be linked with a deep feeling of loss - something that I couldn't return to no matter what.  On this particular visit, I more fully enjoyed the present.  I didn't forget the past memories but I didn't camp with them either - they seemed to help color the present more vibrantly. 

You might be speculating as to whether the loss of those good-ole-day feelings is either good or bad.  If we spent enough time actually understanding each other; I expect we'd agree that living more fully in our present reality is the better condition.

Netflix created a beautiful limited TV series called "The Queen's Gambit."  In one scene, Beth says: "I feel safe in an entire world with just 64 squares."  She developed an obsessive compulsion that helped her cope with reoccurring childhood memories.

I hope that people who attend the only church in town, will be compelled, and feel safe enough, to relax their coping skills. In a more rested and peaceful state, they may resist those compelling habits, and open their eyes more fully as to what's really going on.  They might risk putting their chessboard, with it's 64 spaces, back in the box.  Maybe their soul, mind, and spirt will compel them to pack up their campsite and begin walking again on their life journey.  What a wonderful way, walking with  God, alongside a person who's living life more fully in the present where God and life occur.

Just for today...

"As a child I lived in a fantasy world where to think it so would make it so. Combined with my need for perfectionism and self-control, I believed I could think myself out of reacting emotionally to people and situations.  I carried these misperceptions into adulthood. In my denial, I thought I could make myself not feel anything. I had practiced being tough for a long time."  Hope for Today (p. 223)

"Don't wanna hurt; What to do? - Isolate with me; Away from you."
"Suffer loneliness; Keeping me out - Suffocating bubble; Complain and pout."
"Ray of Sonshine; Peaks thru cracks - Believe the Truth; We're bustin out!"   Am I a Poet?

August 9th - "If it's all the same with you..."

The story...

It's never the same with me or with you - we're always different.  As the old saying (idiom) goes, the only things we can be certain of are death and taxes.  It's true that we'll all live out our lives and our bodies will die.  Some seem to die too early while others suffer late into their 90's - we all meet a common fate. Then...

Why do many think that it's a reasonable thing to try to fix, manage, and control others in an effort to experience their own imagined "best" life?  Does everybody need to behave the way we'd like them to in order for us to be happy?  Can we all be okay with each other without attempting to mold others into our own vision of what's "best?"  Can we be okay with ourselves when others want us to be different - "if it's all the same with you."

The Dream, Capitalism and Virtue Working Together?

The only church in town will offer dignity and respect to everybody who walks through their doors.  They'd proclaim our being God's creatures who're created differently.  He's sovereignly worked out His way throughout the ages - enjoying a relationship with those whose hearts were/are right with Him while living in a "bent" world.  He enjoys, and is a Father to, each person who walks with Him through faith in Christ.   Grace, grace, wonderful grace...

Just for today...

"Can I express myself today, free of expectations of how others will react?"  Hope for Today (p. 222)

"I was too busy trying to be what I thought others wanted me to be, afraid people wouldn't accept me  the way I am."  Courage to Change (p. 222)

"There are many good reasons to keep myself from harboring resentful thoughts. They can grow into savage attacks on other human beings . . . emotional scars."  One Day at a Time (p. 222)

"We're different; Easy to know - You're an ear; I'm a toe."
"Together a body; Wonderfully made - A toe alone; Will surely fade."    Am I a Poet?

August 8th - What fills the void of self-defeating behaviors?

The story...

When I was a kid, mosquito bites would swell up and itch like crazy.  And, I'd itch them like crazy.  My mom would say, "Stop doing that, it'll just make it worse."  Truly they did get worse the more I scratched them.  My focus on the mosquito bites, and that satisfying relief from scratching, distracted me from living more fully in the present.

It's not hard to imagine that our known sins are kind of like itches that come alive when we scratch the hell out of them.  It feels good; but, not for long.  The scratching seems almost involuntary and necessary for our well being.

What's it like on the other side of life if we resist the urge to scratch our itches and become more self-aware in the present - more okay?  Is a life like that better, doable, and sustainable?

The only church in town would preach that your old-sinful nature is going to scratch itches no matter how hard you try to stop 'em.  Like whac-a-mole, a new one will just pop up and take the other's place.  And, you'll likely find a bit of pride too in your efforts to be good: "What a good boy am I!"

Cat Whac-a-Mole

The pastor will preach the unmeasurable value of living out a loving relationship with the Lord your God through the atonement that only He can provide - GRACE.  Each of our relationships with God, is the source of the lasting good life.  Why not trust God and walk humbly with Him today?  He created us the way we are and enjoys us - even those rebellious rascals like me.  I won't willingly go back to that old Whac-a-Mole life.  I'm so thankful that God restores our relationship continuously in a real loving relationship.  He seems to be molding me into the better man He created me to BE.

Just for today...

"My great fear is this:  If I shed many characteristics that stand in my way, what will be left? . . . The desire to grow and heal has brought me to this uncomfortable point, because I am tired of the way I have been . . . I can take all the time I need."  Courage to Change (p. 221)

"Stung me; Itched away - Festered and bleeding; Another bad day."
"Phantoms controlled; Fears and me - Christ entered; Taught to see."
"Veiled but true; Worked to sleep - Ripening fruit; His to reap."    Am I a Poet?

August 7th - Now more important than then?

The story...

If we're able to reflect upon our lives in eternity, which decade might we value most?

• 1st, Grew, trusted and dependent on parents - learned about capabilities.
• 2nd, Entered relationships outside family and community - chose a career to "act" out.
• 3rd, Became more interdependent and lived more outside family circle.
• 4th, Honed career-role and tried to pass learned values to kids.
• 5th, Accepted physical decline and limitations - tried out imagined best life.
• 6th, Living more self aware, valuing relationships, and appreciating peace and rest.
• 7th, Trust in God with little confidence in me?

Maybe all the reflections of  life will fill eternal eyes or heart with feeling, understanding and love.  Personally, I'm so thankful for every part of life - especially the meaningful relationships.

Marmalade - Reflections Of My Life (1969) 

The only church in town wouldn't be perfect nor best meet anyone's needs and wants.  Each person is wonderfully unique and living within their own season of life - a component of the body of Christ.  I can only imagine how the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ, and loving relationships might work out both here and in eternity - decade by decade.

Just for today...

"Trust God; Actualities true - Creator knows; He's gifted you."
"Valuing others; Appreciating all - Being present; Standing tall."
"Best friend's be; Patient with you - Good and kind, Lovin 'em through."
"Flesh's bad; Spirit's there - Ebb and flow; Ya know where."    Am I a Poet?

August 6th - What's a really-good day like?

The story...

There was a summer, during my middle-school years, when I didn't do much.  I delivered my daily newspapers, participated in family stuff, watched too much TV and daydreamed.  Strangely, I remember contemplating my rather dull summer while thinking it really didn't make any difference - the summer was nearly over too for those who actually lived out the type of summer I hoped for.  Yes, that chunk of life was over for everyone.

Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful

What would I tell the teenage me If I could sit down with him back then?  Would I tell him about the good circumstances that awaited?  Would I tell the rather short me that I'd grow to be 6' 4" tall?  Would I tell him that it was better than he thought?  Would I share an appreciation for the good that was actually available?  Or, would I tell him to focus on the greatest two commandments in the bible:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, and mind.  And, love your neighbor as yourself?  I expect what I really needed was to understand, be understood, and to learn to love and be loved just as I was.

Would you rather be loved in poorer circumstances or unloved in more favorable circumstances?  In my humble opinion, my best days are those where I'm loving my neighbors as myself.  A day when I'm a best friend to me which seems to serve as a source of strength for loving other people.  And, I can only love me if I'm right with, or at peace with, God the Father.

People attending the only church in town will hear about how they too might be right with God the Father through His provision.  The bible says faith in His Son's redeeming death, burial and resurrection positions people in Christ - a place where we can be rightly related to God and enjoy a most wonderful condition both now and forevermore. (Ephesians 1)

Just for today...

"I would put aside critical thoughts of others. I would notice interesting things - the expressions on people's faces, a plant growing on my windowsill, the grace and charm of a child, an arrangement of clouds. Today there are wonders all around me, if I will open my eyes and enjoy them."  One Day at a Time (p. 219)

"Wonders of life; These I see - Right with God; Okay with me."
"Eyes off me; Know you too - Life grows us; Eternity's view."    Am I a Poet?

August 5th - I needed to be asked.

The story.,.

Ottumwa, Iowa was my hometown - about 30,000 people.  My employment options were limited; yet. I found work - paper routes and my job as a drug-store delivery boy.  There were other kids whose jobs had different pay, hours, relationships, and location.  But, I was thankful for the job that I had.  I knew both people who held the jobs before me and they both asked me if I'd like to take over the job - I'm thankful they asked. 

Yes, I'm comfortable with my life patterns and often do need to be asked to make changes.  After I'm asked, accept, and learn my new role, I often ask myself: "why did I need to be asked?"  Was I really free to choose before being asked?  Was I behaving complacently without accurately assessing my condition and environment?  Was I really self aware as to what was going on and available?

Since people in the USA are free to move within the country, it's reasonable to assume that our current job and community is not the best possible fit; however, relationships are real, valuable, and are lost with each job or community shift.

My current home in Western Michigan is great and I've no plans of leaving.  What if someone asks me to switch communities in order to fulfill a new job or role?  Would I be sensitive enough to the Will of God that I'd choose the better life-course correction?

Switching churches won't be a problem if there's only one church in town; yet, the decision to trust God and engage in the church community will be a big one for every soul who enters their doors.  Their imagined self, that they've crafted and adapted throughout their life, will be at risk there.  They'll hear about a better-to-best life where they can be free to be their truer selves. "It was for freedom that Christ set us free."  Galatians 5:1

Just for today...

"No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched."  George Jean Nathan

"As with every other aspect of my life, I didn't believe I deserved better."  Hope for Today (p. 218)

"Ask them, Ask me - Bind together, Buildin we."   Am I a Poet?

August 4th - Express yourself - really

The story...

A guest speaker described his perceived value of knowing the difference between his imagined self and his real self.  Yes, we all likely developed and refined an image of who we were to "better" cope with the realities of life. 

Our need to belong to, or fit in with, a group often leads to a sort of group think - a place where pleasing people and conforming to group norms is very important.  Bruce Lee describes his value of expressing himself within the following video.

Isn't it best to belong to and fit into the group that you identify with?  Isn't it polite and respectful to think and behave like the group?  You did have some control over the decision to join the group and possibly even become a "member."  

Visitors to the only church in town will likely find a different world view - a place where they might express a more true self.  It seems they'd start with themselves, then with others, and ideally with God too.  Or, it could be another place where they'd merely conform to the new group norms - if they feel group acceptance then they're okay?  Maybe they aren't okay if they merely fit in.

For me, it seems that we'd all want to be our true selves walking in a actual relationship with our Creator and God - being okay each day and expectantly living with eternity in view.  Yet, that means that our imagined self would need to be transformed in a sort of death.  Our imagined self, or ego, seems to want an environment that conforms with, and bolsters, this image that's been developed and refined throughout a lifetime.

Just for today...

"'But he knew what I expected,' not realizing that it may have been precisely for this reason that he rebelled and acted otherwise."  One Day at a Time (p. 217)

"Since my parents were my main authorities in my life until then, I expected my boss to treat me the same way my parents did.  I acted on the expectation by shutting down in fear.  If I felt uncomfortable about something in the workplace, I kept quiet. When I felt my employee rights were violated, I stuffed my anger."  Hope for Today (p. 217)

"Day's sunny; Healthy too - Why so sad; Feelin blue?"
"Lost connections; Relationship drift -Honest reflection; Humble shift."
"Praying and quiet; God restores - Loving others; Mine and yours."    Am I a Poet?

August 3rd - Offer Dignity and Respect

The story..

Being the fourth child of the family with a rebellious spirit, I tended to reject my parents' well intentioned efforts to control my life.  When faced with resistance, my parents gave me enough "slack" to work out my own way in life.  I learned some of the things that they tried to teach me by experiencing the consequences of my behavior.  I modified, adapted, rolled with the punches, and eventually trusted God's Word regarding who I was and might be in actuality.

I tried to teach my kids what I'd learned so that they might avoid some of the struggles and pain that I went through - I certainly didn't want them to miss out on the freedoms that I valued.  Our parenting methods were a subtle version of  fix, manage, and control - they didn't result in the type of fruit we expected right away - they seemed to rebel too.  I expect that each person appreciates the dignity and respect that allows them to work out their own lives. 

The only church in town would know that only God's Will is best.  Thank goodness He did reveal directly, and through prophets, what we do need to know to live a good life within the Will of God. Congregates would be able to see the fruit of the Spirit of God worked out in other people's lives and witness fruit born within their own lives too.  The only church in town would be a respite from the comings-and-goings of this world - a place to rest in the reality of God's Will.

Just for today...

"My happiness cannot possibly depend on my forcing changes in somebody else. Nor does my misery come from anyone but myself."  One Day at a Time (p. 216)

"... I don't accept my mother as she is either! I want her to embrace my way of thinking, start saying no to people, and not to get so upset about unimportant issues. Basically I want her to think as I do . . . self-righteousness, arrogance, and control."  Hope for Today (p. 216)

"I am able to face the reality of the past, not to place blame or wallow in self-pity but to learn from it." Courage to Change (p. 216)

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him."  Aldous Huxley

"Blind man lives; Thankfully sane - Proud man's blind; Self-loving bane."   Am I a Poet?

August 2nd - Active Verbs for Living a Good Life?

The story...

Assuming we've an idea as to what a "good life" is; then, how do we live it out?  What active verbs might best describe how to "learn to live?"  My brainstorming exercise resulted in the following twenty-four active verbs: Abide, Ask, Be, Blog, Build, Encourage, Enjoy, Forgive, Imagine, Invest, Leave, Listen, Love, Plant, Pray, Read, Receive, Sense, Sing, Stretch, Thank, Trust, Wail, and Water.  It took awhile to build a longer list and then reduce it down to 24 - my favorite number.  Yes, living can be overwhelmingly complex or as simple as...

Somebody asked me to volunteer to help out with a youth mentoring organization in July 2023.   A good friend of mind encouraged me to say yes.  I entered too much information on the application and met with the program director.  Their mission is to mentor at-risk kids to increase the likelihood of them living a good life.  It's a worthy mission, I'm available, it seems like it'd be part of a good life, so I said yes.  Is my decision part of  God's Will?  Yes, saying yes was a reasonable and good response - good life building results seemed likely.

People will have opportunities, within the only church in town, to engage in a life that's bigger than self.  Yes, there'll be opportunities to exercise all twenty-four active verbs.  God's Will is certainly worked out beyond the boundaries of the church so I expect that our opportunities to apply these active verbs are endless.

Just for today...

"When my thoughts are centered on learning to live, I will be less tempted to involve my mind with the thoughts of how others live."  One Day at a Time (p. 215)

"Unconsciously mindful; Spirit intercession - Life in balance; Our Creator cares."   Am I a Poet?

August 1st - Come far and not going back.

The story...

Twelve of the positive changes I've enjoyed during the past few years include: 

• Less forming, or sharing, opinions of what I think is "best" for others.
• Less scratching my metaphorical uncomfortable "itches" with food, activities, games, alcohol etc.
• More frequent prayer and quiet meditation - enjoying more peace and rest.
• Seeking to understand others before being understood - becoming more natural.
• Accepting reality as opposed to developing and arguing for what oughta be.
• Abiding in a state of rest and peace as opposed to one of amped-up emotions.
• Consciously setting and relaxing personal boundaries.
• Living more in the present and obsessing less about the past and future.
• Saying no without an obligation or need to explain why.
• Communicating my message once - resisting the urge to convince others with repetition.
• Loving more and accepting love from others.
• Valuing and building closer, less-guarded, relationships.

"+" life change decisions like being strong

There were reasons I behaved differently than the above.  I've refused temptations to revert to my past ways when triggered by whatever - I don't intend to go back.  Praise God for the changes that He seems to have worked into my life both directly and through those who are His.  Why choose to revert to a less fruitful life?  You know the answers.

People attending the only church in town will witness the Word of God worked out through other's lives.  They'll be more conscious of what their life is and what it might be.  They'll learn to trust God.

Oh the vastness of God and His creation - I can only imagine.  We're His creatures and He's the Creator.  I hope that all men will choose to abide in Christ - safe in the hands of God.

Just for today...

"I do not respond well when someone tries to impose their will on me; why have I tried  to impose my will on those around me?  There is only one person I'm responsible for, and that is me."  Courage to Change (p. 214)

"Little by little I can change my world - not by escaping to a new one with the same old me, but by making a new me out of the old one."  One Day at a Time (p. 214)

"My spirit is set free each time I take the risk  to express myself to people who understand how I think and feel."  Hope for Today (p. 214)

"Truly loved; Feels so... right - Lovin others; Outta site!"
"Found in Christ; Safe and sound - Preacher spoke; Eternity bound!"   Am I a Poet?

July 31st - Stronger triceps muscles might...

The story...

"It" scrolled down upon my computer, an ad for a pulley with weight lifting attachments - it'd allow me to do pull-down exercises in my basement.  "It" seemed liked a simple and doable strength solution to my lower back limitation - it was less than $30.  Where would I put it?  One click and it was purchased.

I took down the unused-heavy punching bag to situate it just right.  The change to my weight lifting regime was both satisfying and fruitful - my triceps had never been stronger.  Basketball shooting wasn't my strong point - I was surprised at how much easier, accurate and precise my shots were.  Other everyday tasks were easier and more satisfying too.

It seems most people don't do strength training - "It's just not my thing."  It does require 25 minutes, two or three times per week.  For me, I often listen to my spiritual mentor, Charles Stanley, on the TV while I'm lifting.  I emerge from the basement better off physically, emotionally, and spiritually - more whole.

We're all different and it takes time to make sustainable changes within our lives.  Until the change works out into actualities and habits, it's hard to know how life will be different.  For me, I don't want to give up weight lifting or my motorcycle.  I've a friend who wouldn't give up her quilting, another who wouldn't give up her garage sales, another guy who is passionate about his guns, another who loved her gardening, and another who wouldn't give up her pickleball leagues. 

The only church in town would allow opportunities for every person to apply their God given gifts, abilities, and interests.  And, they'd hear about life-giving changes that people experience along their journeys.  They'd also hear how the Spirit of God intervened before significant real-life changes started.  If it was from God, you won't want to go back to the old-stale stuff.  I guess it depends on who your master is - you or your Lord.

Just for today...

"When I take one day, one moment, one task at a time and really concentrate on it, a lot more gets done."  Courage to Change (p. 213)

"I must learn to accept myself as I am. Everything good I can bring about must begin with that."  One Day at a Time (p. 213)

"I reaffirm that God is a Power greater than myself with thoughts and feelings very different from mine. This allows me to set my thoughts aside and take time to focus on His thoughts and how He wants to express them through me."  Hope for Today (p. 213)

"God in me; Hard to believe - He works out; Couldn't conceive."   Am I a Poet?

July 30th - "Don't worry be happy?"

The story...

In June, 1981, I visited my family, in Whitehall, MI, for a weekend vacation.  I'd recently joined a group of believers who regularly studied their bibles together in Oak Ridge, TN.  They were working out their faith in ways that were new, and filled with unexpected goodness, to me.  The leader, Bill Job, was freely sharing the reality of his own faith walk as he shared God's revealed Word.  I'd decided to follow Jesus - no turning back, no turning back.  I first heard about the concept of God's grace through Bill.

I shared what I'd learned with my dad on our way back to the cabin for lunch.  My dad paused, turned to me and said, "It sounds good, but you just can't live like that . . . life just doesn't work that way.  You can try."

Why not "try to live a good righteous life, do your best, and try to be happy in all circumstances?  Seriously, why not?  This is a question worthy of pondering.  Was my dad right?  Is it impossible even with our best efforts?  Like many perplexing questions, and answers, he seemed to be both right and wrong.  I learned that I can't, no matter how hard I try, yet God can.  He changed me from the inside out.  He changed my heart - my will was aligned to trust Him in this bent world.  Scripture says He indwells me and He has born fruit.  Change is hard each step of the way - growing thru life ain't ever easy.  My "good" life's growing through ongoing prayer and communion with my Father in Christ.  I thankfully praise God for His might, power, grace, and love for even me His creature.  Yet, my "self" is still on the "shelf" - ready to jump in whenever...

I expect that the only church in town will offer truth, relationships, and opportunities for each attender to trust God and quit trying to be good on their own.  When they do, there's no turning back - God is faithful to His Word.

Just for today...

"I choose happiness and then abandon my choice at the first sign of trouble.  How deep can my commitment be if I allow even slight obstacles to rob me of my sense of well-being? . . . If I have a long-standing habit of responding to problems by feeling like a victim, it may not be easy to stand by my decision to be happy."  Courage to Change (p. 212)

"Tried good; Thought I could - It'd be mine; If I would."
"Ceased trying; Long road - Found in Christ; Loving mode."   Am I a Poet?

July 29th - Live a peaceful or exciting life?

The story...

People in their 60's often tell me about the exciting things they want to do with their free time that wasn't available within the last few stages of life.  Attention to their duties of life prevented them from living the "good life" that they expect to experience with that RV, second house, doting on grand children, extended vacations, bigger barn, hobby, tower building, financial investments, physical endurance feats, novel writing, life trophy...  Now, they're "free" to live the good life - self actualizing.

Why was this "good life" not available to them during the bulk of their more productive and capable years?  I expect that this question is worthy of self reflection - getting to the root cause(s).

Some people seem to resent my vision of the "good life" - living a peaceful life humbly walking with God in the present - enjoying interactions with people, creation, and His presence.  Practicing loving the Lord my God with all my heart, mind and soul and my neighbor as myself.  That seems like a worthy overarching goal - a North Star.

I hope that people in the only church in town would be free to be honest with themselves and the reality of what God's revealed for us.  His Word says He desires to enjoy those whose hearts are His and that we can enjoy walking humbly with Him too in the midst of all life circumstances.  The pull of the actualities of people's lives into "the world" will continually challenge truths revealed in God's Word.  Yet, they'll witness the effects of "That Than Which There is No Greater."  Why not trust God and be thankful?

Just for today...

"Quiet can be achieved with complete silence, but if the silence has in it even a trace of anger or hostility, it loses all its power . . . Most angry words have no basis in logic or reason anyway, so why need they hurt me?"  One Day at a Time (p. 211)

"Peacefully quiet; Thoughts emerge - God receives; He restores."
"He gives; Spirit indwells - Purposely arise; I'm His."    Am I a Poet?

July 28th - Living in the present - takes time

The story...

"What are you thinking about right now?"  I remember asking that question to multiple people who answered with their response: "nothing."  Since I seemed to be constantly thinking about things, I interpreted their feedback as not being very self-aware, hiding their thoughts, self-medicated, or merely being a non-contemplative personality.  To my knowledge, it never crossed my mind that they might be living in, and experiencing, the "present" as opposed to living in the "past" or "future."

How did I wake up to the value of living in the present?  A significant personal issue led me along a path of brokenness and obsession.  I mulled over probable causes for the turmoil and searched for those who contributed to the problem.  I was obsessing over the situation and it was affecting me negatively - physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally.  I met with a group of people, who had experienced similar life brokenness, and they taught me the value of living in the present where life, the Spirit of God, and real relationships are worked out in reality.

I practiced, living in the present, while hiking in the woods.  When obsessive thinking about the past or future began to weigh heavy upon my shoulders; I figuratively brushed them off with my hand.  I focused on my five senses and better experienced what was going on in my environment, my heart, and my spirit too.  The process of "living in the present" took about two years to integrate into the actualities and patterns of my life - wonderfully changed to a more whole and truer me.

I've been told that living too much in the past leads to depression and that living too much in the future leads to prolonged anxiety - that rang true to me.  Living in the present, where actual life and God are, clearly seems to be the best way to experience reality, relationships, love, and that seemingly illusive good and satisfying life.  You just may find all joy and hope there too (Romans 15:13).

The people visiting the only church in town may witness love and the value of living within God's presence.  He performed the great work to offer relationship-busting sin forgiveness to all who believe and trust Him and His Word.   That sin separated us from living "the good life" in the "present" walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8) - true peace positioned in Him.

Just for today...

"A stonecutter may strike a rock ninety-nine times with no apparent effect, not even a crack on the surface.  Yet with the hundredth blow, the rock splits in two. It was not the final blow that did the trick, but all that had gone before . . . The results may have revealed themselves abruptly, but I know that all those months of faith and hard work made the change possible."  Courage to Change (p. 210)

"He did it; Beautifully true - Simply believed; Adopted son"
"New-day dawn; Eternal glimpse -Relationship bonds; Lasting anew."
"Story shared; Another believes - Body grows; Eternity views."   Am I a Poet?

July 27th - Are my boundaries helping me?

The story...

I've frequently bounced into other people's boundaries without a conscious understanding of what they were or why they were built.  Maybe a definitive book on boundaries, backed up by research, would be helpful.  The twelve chapter headings might be titled:

• Barbed wire
• Body armor
• Breakable
• Concrete
  
• Criticized
• Expanding
• God's
• Low
• Missing
• Movable
• Safety
• Transparent

Honestly, I need personal boundaries. It seems reasonable that I'd actually clarify them and review them periodically - I might even need a new one.  Boundaries seem to help us develop those healthy relationships that are key ingredients to the "good life." 

Yes, there'd be healthy boundaries within the only church in town.  People would be allowed to be themselves and grow at their own pace.  Visitors will likely enter the church with boundaries that help them cope with and work out their current lives.  Those boundaries will probably change as the Spirit of God penetrates their lives and as they grow within the safety and grace of God.

Just for today...

"I believed it was my responsibility to help others who could not or did not want to help themselves . . . Doing for other didn't allow them to be responsible; it enabled them to be irresponsible. Caretaking robs others of the self-esteem that comes from struggling with and conquering the challenges that God has planned for their lives."  Hope for Today (p. 209)

"We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another."  William Law

"Flesh wants this; He wants that - God's fruit's best; Growin hurts."
"Fruit ripens; God reaps - Veil lifted; We're home."    Am I a Poet?